THE Word of God affords solid ground of comfort under trial, in the views which it presents of the uses and ends of affliction. God has in view, in the trials of this life, blessed ends towards His children. Being provided for in the covenant of grace, it may be briefly stated of chastisements that they are to be considered among the privileges of the children of God, and that these chastisements are in accordance with a plan of mercy, and are therefore sent for purposes of lasting good. They come from God to His children as tokens of His paternal love. Many children of God can trace in their experience some peculiar tokens of God’s goodness, mercy, and love to them. It is blessedly true that in a believer’s personal history we can find the most touching manifestations of God’s providential care. None can refuse to acknowledge that they have been the objects of a kindness which has never been weary in doing them continual good. O the amazing, precious, loving kindness of God! “How excellent (precious) is Thy loving kindness, O God!” “O continue Thy loving kindness unto them that know Thee.” In peculiar seasons of difficulty and trial, He has either granted deliverance to them, or supported them under trial, so that they, on a review of God’s dealings with them, have had to humbly acknowledge that goodness and mercy have followed them all their days, and that they have been kept by an almighty power—even the power of God. This experience has called forth praise and thankfulness to their God. “How great is Thy goodness which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee, which Thou hast wrought for them that trust in Thee before the sons of men.” May it ever be our employment abundantly to utter the memory of God’s great goodness, and to sing of His praise without ceasing. It may also be said that when a child of God is visited with severe affliction, and especially if his trials be many, as well as severe, and if they be continued for any length of time, he may be apt to entertain the thought that God would not thus deal with him if he were really one of His children. But, in watching the hand of the Lord, and under the teaching of the Spirit, the children of God are brought to own that afflictions are “blessings in disguise.” “Afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby,” and only to such. Many have experienced the sore trial of their patience and faith, who have been assured and brought blessedly to confess that every affliction which God sends to any of His children is in point of fact the fruit of His paternal love. This is the very time when the children of God often drink deepest of heavenly consolation. May our souls never be closed against the unspeakable consolations of our God. God has a most holy and wise purpose in view; it may be that He is preparing such for some great end in view, but whatever it may be, they shall not be left without reason to acknowledge that God does all things well, and that in love and faithfulness He has afflicted them. The children of God may well pray that every trial and every chastisement that comes to them may answer the blessed ends, in order that they may be preserved from one of the greatest of all miseries, affliction, unsanctified. Happy is the man whose hope and consolation is in the Lord. Happy and blessed is the man who in the midst of all the miseries with which this life abounds, can with gracious confidence look by faith to his Saviour, and say—”The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” “Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord.” “Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him.”
B. D. W.